


Meet Me on Rainbow Bridge

by Anatui



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure Last Evolution Kizuna - Fandom, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure tri., Digimon Wonderswan Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dreams vs. Reality, Dreamsharing, Dysfunctional Family, Friends to Lovers, Heartbeats, Hurt/Comfort, Ichijouji Ken's Memory Is Swiss Cheese, M/M, Memory Loss, Mutual Pining, Rainbow Bridge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:02:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25328992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anatui/pseuds/Anatui
Summary: "What are you doing here?"Daisuke stumbled to a stop and, unable to catch himself, fell to the ground, dizzy and blinded by the sunlight. "Huh? Who's that?"When his vision cleared, he found a boy his age, inky black hair glimmering in the sunlight, big blue-violet eyes narrowed, hands on his tiny hips. "Why are you on my soccer pitch?"He pushed up into a sitting position with a frown. "Who says this isyours?"ORDaisuke and Ken, as soulmates, meet each other in their dreams, but they don't remember the dreams during their waking lives. Not until they come to terms with their feelings and want to be together.
Relationships: Ichijouji Ken/Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya
Comments: 16
Kudos: 33
Collections: Daiken Discord Server, Daiken Kinkmeme Challenge





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Okikage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okikage/gifts).



> Welp. This was supposed to be a one-shot, but it'll probably wind up being around 20k soooooo yeah.
> 
> This was written for [this prompt](https://daiken-kink-meme.dreamwidth.org/791.html?thread=40727#cmt40727) on the [Daiken Kinkmeme](https://daiken-kink-meme.dreamwidth.org/), which was actually my prompt that I decided to write anyway because it's a fucking good prompt. But more importantly, I wanted to write something nice for Oki because they've been uber stressed and anxious lately and I love them and this is ANGST and SOULMATES so it's perfect for them.
> 
> I'm just sorry you'll have to wait for more. I guess that's part of the angst? 😝

Daisuke was barely four years old when he first stumbled onto the most beautiful park he'd ever seen.

The playground was huge, brightly colored, enthralling, and there was a winding trail along the edge of the trees that he skipped along as he explored the area.

He'd never seen a park so exciting, so very _big_ , so it made sense he'd only find it in a dream.

But the best part was where he wound up when he followed the trail through the edge of the trees and down a hill. The trees opened up to a large soccer pitch with huge goals and freshly painted lines.

He tore down the trail to fling himself onto the pitch, soaking in the smell of the grass, the feel of the sunlight on his face. Laughter bubbled from his throat as he spun round and round and round in circles, eyes falling shut, throwing himself fully into the excitement.

"What are you doing here?"

Daisuke stumbled to a stop and, unable to catch himself, fell to the ground, dizzy and blinded by the sunlight. "Huh? Who's that?"

When his vision cleared, he found a boy his age, inky black hair glimmering in the sunlight, big blue-violet eyes narrowed, hands on his tiny hips. "Why are you on my soccer pitch?"

He pushed up into a sitting position with a frown. "Who says this is _yours_?"

"I was here first." A frown formed on his pale face. "It isn't Nii-san's—he's not even here, I _checked_ —so why can't it be mine?"

Daisuke pursed his lips. "How many times have you been here before?"

"This is the first time…" He glanced around, pretty eyes concentrating on the hilly forest all around them, watching the mottled sunlight stream down through the trees. "But why can't it be mine?"

Slapping his hands together in excitement, Daisuke bounced to his feet, moving closer to the other boy. "Well, we're both here," he pointed out. "Maybe it could be both of ours?"

Blue-violet eyes widened as he neared. "You'd share with me?" The words came out in a quiet, gentle whisper.

A wide grin spread across his face. "Of course! My sister says I'm terrible at sharing, but I'd like to share with you." He spun around again, arms out, taking in the huge pitch. "Besides, soccer isn't any fun by yourself, right?"

The other boy frowned. "I don't know. I've never played."

His eyes widened, and he ran right over to him, taking the small hands in his. "Really? But it's so much fun."

"It is?"

"Yeah!" Daisuke tugged him farther onto the pitch, eyes searching for a black and white ball—there were a couple near a bench on the other side. "I watch the older kids in my building play in the park across the street all the time. They're really good. I can't wait to join a team."

"Oh?" The pale boy allowed himself to be dragged without complaint, but he curled in on himself, protecting himself. "Where do you live?"

"In Odaiba!" he cried. He finally let go of the boy's hand to grab one of the soccer balls and tossed it up into the air to catch it. "I live right by Odaiba Beach, and my school…when I get to go to school, it's just down the street. Isn't that cool?"

But the other boy looked disappointed.

Daisuke stopped in front of him, letting the soccer ball fall on the grass not far away. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's just that I don't live in Odaiba." His face fell, his pretty eyes fluttering shut. "I guess we can't be friends after all."

"What are you saying?" Daisuke bridged the gap between them and laid his hands on his shoulders. "Of course we can be friends. We don't have to live in the same place to be friends when we can always meet here. Oh, and you can call me—I have my number memorized now! Okaa-san said I needed to for when I ran off again."

The other boy stared at him, blue-violet eyes wide. "You ran away?"

Daisuke's happy smile dropped. "Well, no." He sighed. "I got lost when we were at Diverpla, but I _didn't_ run away. I just got distracted. Okaa-san wasn't happy at all."

He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Anyway," Daisuke said, putting on a big smile again. "I want to be your friend, even if you live on the other side of the world." He frowned. "Where _do_ you live?"

"Hikariga—" He frowned. "Well, no, we moved. We just moved to Tamachi."

"Is that in Tokyo?"

The other boy giggled and nodded. "It's right by Tokyo Bay."

"I'm right by Tokyo Bay!"

"We're on opposite sides of Rainbow Bridge." He smiled, lighting up the sparkles in his blue-violet orbs—Daisuke couldn't stop staring at those pretty eyes. "I'm Ichijouji Ken by the way. I'm sorry, I should've introduced myself much earlier."

Daisuke only laughed as he threw an arm around Ken's shoulders. "I'm Daisuke," he said happily. "Motomiya Daisuke. It's great to meet you!"

*

Daisuke had just turned eight when Ken threw his arms around his shoulders, a deep sob wrenched from his throat, as they found themselves at the soccer pitch again. He accepted the hug with a warm embrace of his own and enjoyed the close contact even as he did his best to comfort his best friend.

"I'm so glad you're all right," Ken mumbled into his shoulder after his sobs slowly subsided. "I heard about the monsters and the big fog. You were in there, weren't you?"

"I'm okay, Ken-chan, I'm okay," he said, patting Ken's back. "But I got to meet this weird vampire dude! And a talking cat. Oh, and the vampire got really mad when I told him he looked like he had a letter opener on his face."

Eyes wide, Ken pulled back. "Weren't you scared?"

"Pfft!" Daisuke stumbled backward, hands on his hips. "Stupid monsters don't scare me."

For a moment, Ken could only stare at him. Then, he collapsed onto the pitch and crumpled in on himself. "Well, they scare _me_."

He hesitated before dropping down on the grass beside him. "But I'm okay," he said, taking Ken's hand in his, comparing the pale pink skin to his own much darker tone, and squeezing. "See?"

Only then did Ken look up and force a watery smile. "You're just like Ryo-san."

Daisuke frowned.

Who in the world was that?

Ken averted his gaze. "Ryo-san is Nii-san's best friend. He comes by to play a lot, but Nii-san doesn't usually have the time." His cheeks visibly colored. "Ryo-san's not afraid of anything, not even monsters. That's one of my favorite things about him."

Irritation welled in Daisuke's stomach, and he held tighter to the ghostly hand contrasting his, threading their fingers together. "You really like this Ryo, don't you?"

But Ken didn't respond right away.

When Daisuke looked over, the boy had turned bright red, his eyes glued to their conjoined hands.

This wasn't the first time in these strange dreams they'd held hands, but it was surely the first time Daisuke had been so forward about it, had held on to him long after was strictly necessary.

He didn't want to let go.

He wanted to hold Ken's hand until they woke up and they didn't remember this anymore.

Ken swallowed. "I, um…what did you ask?"

A frown contorted his face, but Daisuke moved on. "How long has it been since we've met? What's going on?"

Pretty blue-violet eyes fluttered shut, and Ken leaned on his shoulder. "You know the other week? When you were trapped in Odaiba?" he whispered. "Something came out of Nii-san's computer a couple days before that."

" _Something_?"

"It's some hexagon-shaped… _remote_ maybe?" He sighed. "With a screen like a Tamagotchi."

"And it came out of your computer?"

Ken nodded, his fluffy hair fluttering with the movement. "Nii-san's computer."

"That's weird."

"I don't know what it is," he murmured, curling up closer, coiling in on himself, "but I want to look at it, I want to touch it. Nii-san told me to leave it alone, but I just…something inside me won't stop pulling toward it."

Daisuke frowned.

He knew the feeling, but not like that.

No, Daisuke felt something inside him pulling him endlessly toward Ken and wouldn't let go. Holding his hand helped, but it wasn't enough. Something deep in his bones said it wouldn't be enough until they actually got to meet for real.

"Can you go to Rainbow Bridge tomorrow?" He tugged on Ken's arm enough that he lifted his head to look at him.

"What?"

"Can you go to Rainbow Bridge tomorrow?" Daisuke asked again, his hand clenched around Ken's.

He nodded. "I think I could do that."

Daisuke grinned and knocked their shoulders together. "Meet me there tomorrow, okay? Ten o'clock. Right in the middle."

A soft smile spread across Ken's delicate face, and he nodded, even though they both knew they wouldn't remember.

*

Daisuke kicked at the grass as he trudged through the park toward the soccer pitch.

He'd had another fight with Jun that day—she'd marched into his room, hands on her hips, and snapped—and this here was the only thing that he knew would make it better.

Except for the fact that, yet again, Ken hadn't shown up.

This was the third time they'd made plans to meet in the middle of Rainbow Bridge, but Ken hadn't shown. To be fair, Daisuke hadn't shown up at the bridge either. Neither of them ever remembered.

He was more than ready to take his frustrations out on the soccer pitch, then to collapse next to Ken and let it all out.

But when he got to the pitch, Ken was curled up on the grass, wrapped around the soccer ball, clinging to it for support.

All Daisuke could do was collapse onto the pitch beside him and pull the ball from his arms. "Ken-chan?" He pulled him into his arms and let Ken wrap around him instead of the ball. "Ken-chan, what's wrong?"

Tears stained his T-shirt, and Ken sniffled into his shoulder, trembling too much to speak.

He ran his hand over his back, up and down, up and down, like he'd seen Taichi and Hikari's mom do when Hikari would get sick.

"Nii-san…Nii-san…" was all that escaped Ken's lips.

"What happened?" Daisuke murmured, resting his head atop Ken's. "Is your brother okay?"

That only made Ken cry harder and tighten his grip. Daisuke, in turn, added pressure to his massage, slowly caressing from the base of his spine to his neck, but the moment his fingers came in contact with skin, Ken tore away from his grip with a shriek.

For a long minute, Daisuke could only sit and stare at him.

Ken was crouched on the pitch, one hand covering the back of his neck, the other supporting him as he sobbed into the grass.

"Uh, Ken-chan?" Daisuke whispered. "What's wrong with your neck?"

After a few trembling breaths, he was finally able to push back up onto his knees and held Daisuke's gaze with glistening eyes. "I think…there's something inside it."

Daisuke's body went cold.

"What do you mean?"

"There was a Digimon," Ken started, the words quivering. "It was going to hurt Ryo-san—I had to protect him." He chewed his lip, brow furrowed. "I think it made me really sick for a while, but I'm better now. I thought I was _better_ now, so why does it still hurt when someone touches it?"

He frowned. "Digimon? That's what the monsters who attacked Odaiba last August were, right?"

Ken nodded.

"Why were you with Digimon?" Daisuke squared his shoulders. "You could've gotten hurt—you _did_ get hurt. You could've _died_."

Tears pooled in Ken's eyes again, and his gaze fell to the grass between them once again. "Nii-san's gone," he whispered.

Daisuke scooted closer, just barely out of reach. "What do you mean? Where did he go?"

When Ken met his eyes again, glistening trails tracked down his cheeks. "Nii-san died."

"Oh."

"It's all my fault." He studied his hands until his eyes couldn't seem to focus on anything as more tears dangled from his lashes. "I wanted him to go away so badly, I just wanted someone to see _me_ , and he did go away, and it's all my fault."

Daisuke couldn't hold back, couldn't wait anymore. He pulled Ken back into his arms and held him while he cried, wiped away his tears, pressed his forehead to Ken's temple, careful to avoid touching his neck. "It's not your fault," he murmured. "It isn't."

Ken threw his arms around him, sobbing again.

"And I know we haven't managed to find each other outside of these dreams," Daisuke continued, "but you have to know that _I_ see you." He nuzzled his nose in Ken's soft hair, shaggier than the last time they'd met here. "I see you so clearly. Sometimes, I don't think I can see anything _but_ you, and I can't wait for the day I get to see you when we're awake."

Ken sniffled, body trembling. "H-how can you even think it's possible? It's been years, four and a half years, and we're still stuck here. We're never going to get out."

"You can't believe that."

He pulled back to look Daisuke in the eye, skepticism written all over his tear-stained face.

But Daisuke was determined enough for the both of them. "I know we're going to see each other. I don't know how to explain it, but I _know_." He let go of Ken long enough to press his hand to his chest. "I can feel it in here."

Ken frowned.

"Don't you?" He moved his hand to Ken's chest, to cover the place where his heart thumped inside. "Can't you feel the pull in your heart? Even if I don't remember these dreams, they're still in here, understand?"

"What do you mean?"

Daisuke worried his lip before finally breaking down to mumble, "I think you're my soulmate. That's why we have these dreams. It's the only thing that makes sense."

Ken stared at him for a long time.

*

By the time fourth grade was almost over, Daisuke was much better at soccer than the first time he and Ken had kicked the ball around their own private pitch.

He spent a lot of time playing with his senpai Taichi, outside of club activities now that Taichi was in his first year of middle school. He was out all manner of hours, spending long afternoons at the Yagami apartment when they weren't playing at the park; his parents didn't seem to mind as long as he was back by dinner.

But as much as he enjoyed playing with Taichi and the soccer club at Odaiba Elementary, Ken was by far his favorite opponent. He moved so quickly, so gracefully, and it was fascinating to watch—no wonder Ken had been named captain this year. Yet, Daisuke's favorite part of their games was when they collapsed on the grass, sweaty and breathless and laughing, so close their hands almost touched.

Daisuke twisted onto his side to look at him.

In the mottled light, Ken's smile was bright and full of life, and he curled toward him too, his big blue-violet eyes glistening with happiness—something Ken had confessed he didn't experience much in waking life, especially lately.

Suddenly, Daisuke felt breathless.

Ken had gone through quite the growth spurt these last few months—they were no longer nearly the same height like when they'd first started coming here—and he was growing out his silky hair to a respectable shoulder length that made Daisuke want to run his hands through it.

"What are you thinking about?"

Daisuke narrowed his eyes. "You're too tall now."

A gentle laugh erupted from his lips. "Maybe you're too short, Daisuke." He sat up, and Daisuke quickly followed suit.

Ken's torso was longer, yes, but most of his height was in his long, slender legs. That was part of what made him so graceful and so damn good at soccer—he'd gotten rather amazing actually. His team at Tamachi Elementary had become the champions of their league, but Daisuke still hadn't been able to meet him outside these damn dreams. Odaiba hadn't made it to the finals, and even if they had, Daisuke wouldn't have been anything but an alternate.

"We're going to play against each other this next year, I know we will," he said.

Ken frowned for a moment as he caught up with Daisuke's train of thought, then lifted his head enough to smile. "You're always so sure of everything, Daisuke. I wish I could be more like you."

Daisuke frowned. "Why would you want to be like me?"

"You're so brave, and you're never afraid to speak your mind, and you always _believe_."

Fighting a snicker, Daisuke scooted closer till they were hip to hip, and he bumped his shoulder against Ken's. "You know, when Okaa-san says those things, they're usually not a good thing. My sister says I stick my foot in my mouth."

Lip caught between his teeth, Ken slipped his hand into his. "She shouldn't say that."

"It's true!" And Daisuke laughed. "Anyway, I'm glad I get to play you here, even if we can't play Odaiba versus Tamachi yet. But when we do…you better prepare for a challenge, Ichijouji. I'm going to kick your ass."

A teasing smirk tugged at Ken's pretty lips. "I'd like to see you try."

Daisuke loved it when Ken made that face, loved it when he rose to the challenge and put up a fight, got competitive.

It set his blood boiling, and he wanted to pin him to the ground and start one of their impromptu wrestling matches. Ken always won, but Daisuke would never complain about those strong slender arms locking him into place, the legs hooking around him until he was entirely at Ken's mercy. Thankfully, Ken was the kindest, most merciful person he'd ever known.

But then, Ken's face fell before he could twist and start the assault. "I really hope you're wrong, though."

"What?"

"I hope we _don't_ meet in real life."

Daisuke stumbled to his feet, hands balled into fists. "Why would you say that? Of course you want to meet. You've always wanted to meet. That's why we always—"

Ken shook his head, still avoiding eye contact. "I'm not a good person in real life. I'm…the worst kind of people. I'd only ever hurt you if we met."

"Don't say that!"

But there was a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Ken had stopped talking about his life beyond the cursory day-to-day experiences—soccer club, school, he'd barely admitted to some of the interviews he'd done the first time they met after Daisuke heard his name on the news—after his brother died. He'd stopped opening up to Daisuke the way he had before.

"But it's true," Ken murmured, echoing Daisuke's own sentiment earlier. "Sometimes, I don't know what I'm doing. There are a lot of things I can't remember when we're here. You talk about your family, your friends, your classes, you tell me everything, but I can barely remember eating dinner with Mama and Papa last night. There's so much that doesn't make sense, but I know I'm bad. I know I'd hurt you, and I don't want to hurt you."

"No," Daisuke shouted as he dropped down to his knees beside him. "You wouldn't hurt me. I know you wouldn't. You're good." He took Ken's hands in his own and squeezed them tight, willing him to believe. "You have to believe you're good."

Ken only shook his head.

"Then meet me," he insisted. "Meet me on Rainbow Bridge. Promise you will, and I'll prove you're good."

A wan smile spread across Ken's uncomfortably pale face. "I wish you could, but we both know it's hopeless."

Irritation swelled in his chest, and Daisuke grabbed Ken's face, holding him steady by the cheeks. "Nothing is ever hopeless, okay?"

Ken blinked away fresh tears. "Okay." He took in a shaky breath and forced a teary smile as he laid one of his own hands over Daisuke's, the cold of his fingers trying to penetrate Daisuke's warmth. "But because I believe in _you_ , not the sentiment."

Daisuke grinned as the dream started to fade. "That's good enough for now."

*

It was May the first time Daisuke found himself dreading the soccer pitch even as he wandered closer.

It was May when he'd finally met his best friend—his _soulmate_ —in their waking lives.

It was May when he'd discovered his best friend and soulmate was the Digimon Kaiser.

He stumbled to a halt at the edge of the pitch, his legs like jelly, his heart thudding in his too-tight chest.

But the moment Daisuke saw him, curled up into a ball at the center of the pitch, one arm wrapped around his legs, the other hand clutching the back of his neck, the tension fell away and he could breathe again.

The boy there on the pitch wasn't the Digimon Kaiser.

He wasn't even the Ichijouji Ken who'd made him blush with smooth compliments after the soccer match.

This was the same Ken he'd always known, the Ken who'd held his hand and not been afraid to cry in front of him, who'd never judged him for being loud and obnoxious and never thought he was annoying or in the way, who'd been his shoulder to cry on too.

The Ken who was crying now, the Ken who needed him.

Ken startled when Daisuke dropped down behind him, dragged him between his legs, and wrapped his arms around Ken's too-thin frame—and then he started crying harder. His narrow body trembled, wracking with each sob, and he twisted to cling to him instead, burying his soaked face in the crook of Daisuke's neck.

Daisuke held him through it all, held him until he'd run out of tears and was panting in his embrace, and then he waited until the heaving too had passed.

"I've got you," he murmured against the side of Ken's head.

Those long arms tightened around him further. "You must hate me. You _should_ hate me."

Daisuke shook his head. "I could never hate you. No matter what, you're my best friend."

Quivering, Ken pulled back enough to look him in the eye, and Daisuke spent a long moment wiping away the tears clinging to his long lashes, wondering how he managed to look so damn pretty right now of all times.

Ken clenched his eyes shut, brow furrowing as he struggled to form the words. "I don't know what's wrong with me," he forced out. "I know we met today, but for the life of me, I couldn't tell you what happened. I know I hurt you."

Daisuke frowned.

He'd never asked Ken what had caused his memories to become such a mess, why he remembered things here that didn't seem to affect him in waking life, why he couldn't remember parts of his waking life while they were in here. Perhaps that was because he knew asking was the least helpful thing he could do—Ken didn't know why his brain was like this, and above all else, that terrified him.

"Look at me," he whispered, tucking damp strands of silky hair behind Ken's ears. "Seriously, look at me."

Hesitant, Ken allowed his gaze to wander over his form, taking in the large wet spot at his shoulder and the way their bodies had molded together, and a flush rose to his cheeks. "I'm looking," he mumbled, staring at the complete lack of space between them.

"Do I look hurt?"

His face immediately contorted into a frown. "Would you show injuries here?"

Hmm, Daisuke hadn't considered that, but it was easy to test.

Without warning, he leaned close and tugged up the pant leg of Ken's pajamas. There should have been a scrape there from when Daisuke had done his rather impressive sliding tackle during the day. It had shown up on the Kaiser in the Digital World, but here, in their dreams, Ken's skin was smooth and creamy and lovely.

"Why are you looking at my ankle?"

One glance up at Ken's face revealed he'd turned a bright red, no matter how hard he was trying to hide it.

Daisuke felt the heat rise to his cheeks. "N-nothing," he stuttered, then cleared his throat and gathered his thoughts back together. "Anyway, you don't need to worry about me. Like I said, I'm fine."

But Ken obviously wasn't if he couldn't even remember how their soccer match had ended, how Daisuke had discovered he was the Digimon Kaiser just that afternoon.

"I'm scared," Ken admitted in a small voice. The blush had mostly faded from his cheeks, and he couldn't meet his gaze anymore. "I can feel it, deep in my bones…I'm going to do something reckless, something stupid and dangerous."

Daisuke frowned. "Like what?"

"I don't know. I'm worried I'm going to hurt myself—or my parents or Wormmon…or you."

An ache formed in his chest.

Daisuke didn't know how to tell him that, as the Digimon Kaiser, he already was hurting Wormmon and his family every day.

"Well, don't worry…" He dragged Ken closer, knocking their foreheads together and letting his eyes fall shut. "I'm going to make sure you don't do anything stupid. Make sure you don't hurt anyone."

Ken whimpered, and his fingers grabbed hold of the shirt hugging Daisuke's shoulders.

"I'm going to make sure you're okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Diverpla_ is in reference to DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, which is a touristy shopping mall in Odaiba with a Gundam statue installed outside the entrance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, this was supposed to be a one-shot...look at it now.

For a while after that, Daisuke and Ken had met at the soccer pitch nearly every night, curling up on the grass as he tried to distract Ken from his fragmented memories of life as the Digimon Kaiser. Daisuke didn't want him to remember, didn't want him to hurt any more than he already did.

But then Chimairamon had happened.

After that, it was several days before Daisuke found himself under those ever-summer trees again. The moment he realized where he was, he tore down the path, desperate to reach the soccer pitch.

The last time Daisuke had been there was the night Takeru and Iori had left the group behind to search for the Kaiser's base on their own, and Ken had barely been more than a sobbing mess, clinging to him as he desperately tried to piece together the bizarre and terrifying moments he actually remembered from his waking life. But the closer the group had gotten to defeating the Kaiser, the more time there was between dreams.

Of course, Daisuke didn't realize that till he was standing on the edge of the soccer pitch, staring as Ken lay flat on his back in his giant green pajamas, which only made him look skinnier, unhealthy.

"Ken?" he murmured, toes dipping over the edge of the pitch.

It was only then he realized the last time he'd seen Ken, he had been stumbling through the desert, broken and lost. That evening, of course, he'd seen a news story about the missing boy returning home, but Ken hadn't shown up in the Digital World since.

At least not before Daisuke, Miyako, and Iori had had to jump on a plane to America to meet Hikari and Takeru in Denver.

Daisuke hadn't been able to check on him in so long.

Thankfully, now he could.

"Ken, you all right?" He dropped down into a sitting position beside him to watch over him, but worry swelled in his chest at Ken's lack of reaction. "Ken?"

Glassy eyes slowly slid over to look at him, and Ken wetted his ice-blue lips, but he didn't speak. All too quickly, his gaze returned to the overcast sky above.

Daisuke reached for him but hesitated a few centimeters away, his heart aching in his chest. "Ken, please be okay."

He blinked his mesmerizing blue-violet eyes, but he didn't take his eyes off the sky again, at least not yet. "It's truly beautiful here," he said, voice soft, gentle, yet distant. "I don't appreciate that enough anymore."

Daisuke frowned but swallowed down his questions and lay beside him, close enough their arms pressed against each other. "You're right," he admitted once he was staring up at the overcast sky, the light broken up by the leaves of the dogwood and cherry trees fluttering in the breeze. "It is beautiful."

Ken's hand found his, and silently, he entwined their fingers in a loose grip. "There are a lot of things I haven't been able to appreciate," he said slowly. "I…I miss Wormmon. Nii-san. I miss Mama and Papa." He frowned. "I miss Ryo-san—I don't know where he went, barely even remember him leaving, but I haven't seen him in a long time."

Daisuke's fingers clamped around his, holding on tight. "I've been so worried about you."

Ken turned to him with a frown, skepticism etched in his irises. "You remember?"

He frowned too. "That's not what I mean." He glared up at that sky, trying to explain the uneasiness that was always a part of him, even while awake, even while traversing America with the fascinating American boy who spoke flawless Japanese. "I just…I know there's something wrong. I can feel it in my bones, even if I don't know what it means."

Really, he'd connected the feeling to fighting Chocomon, to the possibility that they would have to destroy Wallace's partner Digimon, but now that he was here, now that he could remember, he knew what that feeling really meant.

All Daisuke received in response was a quiet, contemplative hum.

"What about you?" he mumbled, trying not to let himself stumble too close to the edge. "What have you been doing for the last couple weeks?"

Ken chewed his lip. "Is that how long it's been?"

Daisuke's stomach churned uncomfortably.

"Time hasn't…time doesn't mean anything to me right now. I don't know how long it's been since…" He trembled. "Since the desert."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm at my family's apartment, I know that," Ken mumbled, lips twisted. "But I don't know that I'm _home_. I don't know much of anything right now. Except that I'm confused. My memories are…worse than they were before."

Daisuke's brow furrowed. "Confused about what?"

"Who I am…"

Lips pursed, Daisuke pushed up onto his elbows to look at his blank face. "What are you talking about?"

Of course, even when he was awake, even when he didn't remember the years he and Ken had spent together here at this beloved soccer pitch, Daisuke knew who Ken was. He knew that he was good, that he was kind and sweet, that he should have been part of their team instead of their enemy. The Digimental had told him all that in seconds, and Wormmon's sacrifice was further confirmation.

"Everything I know, everything I believed, is wrong," Ken murmured, not looking at him. "I don't know how, I don't know what happened, but I lost a part of myself, and I don't know how to get it back, how to find it again. What I do remember…my chest—" He moved so his hand, the one clutching Daisuke's firmly, pressed against his sternum. "My chest feels empty inside."

Daisuke shook his head violently. "I won't accept that."

Ken blinked and turned to him—finally looked at him, really _looked_ at him. "What do you see that no one else does?"

"Look," he said with a sigh, and he stretched out his free arm to cup Ken's cheek. "You've been my best friend since we were four years old, so I'm confident when I say you have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met—and I should know because I've seen inside it, inside that Golden Digimental. You care so much about other people that you hurt yourself in the end."

"I…I remember what I've done, Daisuke." He frowned. "S-some of it."

"But that wasn't _you_." He glared down at Ken's chest, willing him to understand, and pulled his hand back. "You're kind and gentle and good, I know you are. The things you did as the Digimon Kaiser weren't _you_."

Ken cocked his head, brow furrowed. "But I still did them. I hurt all those Digimon. I hurt Wormmon, who never did anything but support me, who didn't deserve…" He froze, too broken up to continue the painful train of thought. "And I hurt _you_."

With Ken's hand still gripping his, it wasn't difficult to drag him up into a sitting position until Daisuke could wrap his arms around him, and when Ken melted into the embrace, Daisuke breathed deep the sweet scent of hydrangea in his hair. "Feel me," he murmured against Ken's temple, eyes falling shut. "I'm okay. No lasting damage, right?"

He inhaled sharply when Ken released the tight grip on his hand and began to trail his fingers over him, tracing the curve of his shoulders, curling down his sides, following the ridge of his spine, sliding over every rise and fall, every hill and valley, to make sure he was unscathed.

Daisuke's skin heated up under his touch, and his breath turned ragged, but he still managed to say, "See? I'm not hurt at all."

Ken leaned back enough to press his palm to Daisuke's chest. "Even in here?" he murmured, avoiding eye contact.

"Yes," he hissed.

Pretty hair falling in his eyes, Ken tucked his head in the crook of Daisuke's neck and allowed himself to relax in his lap. "I'm not sure I am," he whispered, breath tickling Daisuke's collarbone. "My head feels heavy, my heart like it's been shattered, and I don't know how to piece it all back together. I try, try to think my way out, but everything is static."

Daisuke leaned his cheek atop that silky smooth hair. "Then let me help. Lean on me, and we can do this together."

Ken didn't stop leaning on him until Daisuke opened his eyes.

Miyako was shaking him awake, Wallace behind her, a frown on his lips as he insisted it was time to go to the field.

*

Daisuke had fallen asleep thinking about Ken.

This was hardly the first time, but he wandered onto the soccer pitch to find a ball waiting at the center. He was already dressed in his Odaiba FC practice uniform, and he immediately started kicking the ball around, pushing himself hard until he could feel his heart thumping hard in his chest.

But it wasn't alone.

There was an echo. A second beat inside his chest.

Ken.

When he looked over, Ken was standing by one of the goals, his hair fluttering in the breeze, dressed in a pair of tight black shorts and a polo shirt with the buttons undone. It was rare for him to wear anything but his school uniform or pajamas or soccer uniform—maybe he showed up here with his school jacket off, but even that was a rarity.

But the rarest thing was the distinct blush dusting Ken's cheeks the moment their eyes met.

Daisuke raced closer, sliding to a stop in front of him, soccer ball tucked under one arm, his heart thumping loud enough he could barely hear anything else.

Or was that Ken's heart?

He couldn't tell anymore.

A tender smile tugged at Ken's pretty mouth. "Hey…"

Daisuke grinned. "Oh, I see. You'll smile at me _here_ , but the minute I try to be friends out there, you run away," he teased.

Ken's face shifted into a scowl, but his eyes twinkled. "Today was…"

"It _was_."

He couldn't hold the scowl, and all too quickly, Ken smiled at him, stepping closer to narrow the distance between them but still holding back. "I never expected…"

"I know."

Ken took another step. "Do you think we'll actually—?"

"Of course we will," Daisuke insisted, finally closing the gap. "I don't have a doubt. After today, how could we not?"

He held up his hand, hesitant. "Can I…?"

Grin widening, Daisuke dropped the ball in favor of Ken's hand and laid it over his heart, letting Ken feel the pitter-patter of the muscle inside, beating faster now than it had been a few moments ago while he'd been kicking the ball around the pitch, and he placed his hand on Ken's chest as well. Ken's heart was pounding just as quickly, throbbing with excitement and joy and pleasure, and Daisuke wanted to feel that beat pulsing through him for as long as he could breathe.

Of course, Ken's pretty blue-violet eyes met his chocolate ones, his normally pale cheeks flushed a deep red, his lips parted in surprise and pleasure, and suddenly, Daisuke couldn't breathe.

"Always," he mumbled, barely able to form words. "We're soulmates, remember?"

Ken tucked his face down, eyes still focusing on him, watching him from under long lashes, and slowly nodded.

"This"—he leaned into the touch, pressing his chest harder against Ken's palm—"is already yours. Always has been. Today only made that more obvious."

Eyes watering, Ken opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Slowly, they dropped to their knees on the grass, their hands still clutching at each other's chests, and Ken closed his eyes, letting the tears fall freely.

"Hey…" Daisuke reached out to wipe away the salty streams, to run his thumb over his temple and cheekbone. "Don't be sad."

Ken shook his head. "I'm not."

Daisuke pursed his lips and released a skeptical scoff.

"I'm not, I promise," he said. "I'm _happy_." His voice cracked, but he pushed on. "It's Saturday in the morning…no school. How long do you think we can stay here?"

"You want to sleep in?"

Ken gave a short nod.

Daisuke was supposed to meet everyone at Koushiro's in the morning to talk about whatever evolution he and Ken had experienced at the Kaiser's base that day, but that didn't matter now. He didn't care if he was late, if he didn't make it on time.

Right now, only Ken mattered.

*

This time, they were both wearing their pajamas, which was rare. Even rarer was the fact that Ken wasn't wearing his normal oversize pajamas—instead he was wearing the yellow set that belonged to Daisuke.

When Ken's eyes, sparkling with excitement, met his, a flush rose up Daisuke's neck and face, but Ken took his hand and guided him to sit down in the middle of the grass, right at the center of the pitch. Daisuke collapsed beside him, trying not to grin too much and failing horribly, but Ken never minded that.

This night…

This night was a monumental occasion.

Daisuke and Ken's first sleepover. The first signifier, even after everything they'd already been through the past couple months, that they were actually friends.

For the first time in a long time, he could feel the hope emanating off of Ken—the hope that things could get better, that they could be happy together not just here in their dreams but in their waking lives too.

Daisuke wanted to drown in that hope. In Ken's hope.

Silently, they lay in the grass, so close they were almost touching, enjoying each other's company more than anything else, enjoying the fact that they were making progress.

Daisuke twisted to get a better look at him, to admire the soft smile and happy glow on Ken's face, but happy as he was, Ken was also trembling with emotion. He looked like he wanted to say something, but even here in their dreamspace, Ken held back.

"Don't be scared," Daisuke murmured, reaching out to tuck a strand of silky soft hair behind his ear. "There's nothing bad here, just you and me."

Ken's face split into a pleased smile, and he turned so their torsos were facing each other too. "I just…there's something I want to ask you, but I'm nervous."

Daisuke cocked an eyebrow.

He tucked his head down, letting the curtain of hair fall in his face again in an attempt to hide the blush.

But Daisuke only laughed, his chest constricting with happiness. "Don't be nervous either," he chuckled, and he scooted closer to pull Ken to his side, curling their bodies together until they were undeniably cuddling.

They had held each other many times—hugged and snuggled and leaned together—during the course of their dreams, but those moments had always been reserved for comfort.

Not purely because they wanted to.

But that was what Ken wanted now, and Daisuke couldn't deny himself the connection either, didn't want to.

Ken buried his face in Daisuke's chest, his fingers digging into the blue shirt Daisuke had worn in lieu of his typical pajamas—though he definitely didn't mind the sight of Ken wrapped up in his golden yellow set.

"I made it up," Daisuke murmured after a long time.

"Hmm?"

"The bit about BlackWarGreymon." He paused. "Obviously, we need to figure out how to beat him, but that's not why I asked you to dinner. I was…worried you wouldn't accept without a good reason."

Ken pushed up to look at him, his hand still hovering over Daisuke's heart, and a fond smile spread across his pink lips. "Daisuke… _you_ are a good reason."

Heat rose to his cheeks. "Oh."

"Although, I admit…" Ken settled back against his chest, his hair tickling Daisuke's hot face. "As much as I wanted to accept right away, the excuse of BlackWarGreymon helped make the decision for me. I'm still not…certain I deserve friends."

Daisuke frowned. "But we _are_ friends, right?"

"You're my best friend."

"I meant out—"

"I know." He laughed then, the vibrations sending his heart a-fluttering. "You're already my best friend there too. You and Wormmon."

It took a little bit for Daisuke to fully relax again. When he did, he pressed himself close to smell his own shampoo in Ken's hair, to revel in the knowledge that Ken had taken a bath in _his_ home and was wearing _his_ pajamas. That thought did funny things to his heart and made his whole body hot to the touch, though Ken didn't seem to mind.

"You know," Ken whispered, burrowing into Daisuke's chest, pressing his ear over his heart, "this is exactly what I wanted. Thank you."

Daisuke, in return, lay his hand over Ken's back, enjoying the distant thump of Ken's heart against his hand. "It'll be soon," he promised, not sure if Ken was even listening anymore. "Maybe we won't even have to meet on Rainbow Bridge. We're already so close."

*

Ken was trembling when Daisuke found him this time. Shaking so hard. His hands were balled into fists around the pale gray scarf he'd worn so often around his neck that winter.

Daisuke had expected to find him in tears, but he looked up with determination in his eyes. Determination and anger.

No, Daisuke was the one who was ready to break down.

And that's what he did.

He dropped to the bench beside Ken and dragged his best friend, his soulmate, the love of his life, into his arms to squeeze him as hard as he could.

He'd struggled so hard to fall asleep tonight, knowing that, although Ken was safe again, he was all the way across Rainbow Bridge. There was a part of him that had felt a tug to go after him, to race across that bridge in its glowing glory to find Ken on the other side, to see him again and make sure he was safe. He _needed_ Ken to be safe.

Now that he was here, Daisuke understood the pull to go to Rainbow Bridge, to find Ken in the middle of the night.

At least here he was able to hold him as much and as tight as he wanted to, as he craved.

It wasn't until Ken's face softened and he wiped away the tears streaming down his cheeks that he realized he was crying. He couldn't control it after that, couldn't control himself.

He held Ken so tight he was surprised he didn't break him, buried his wet face in his hair, and sobbed so hard he was gasping for air. And Ken took it in stride, massaged his back in a soothing rhythm and took deep, steady breaths to help calm his breathing.

"I'm sorry," Daisuke sniffled when he was finally calm enough to pull back and speak. "I'm so sorry. It shouldn't have taken so long to get to you, to save you. I should've been there faster." He trembled in his frustration, his anger, his fear. "I shouldn't have let them take you in the first place."

"Daisuke." Ken took his face between his hands and forced him to meet his eyes. "I was the one who got on that truck. I chose that. And no matter what happened once I was on it, I don't regret that decision. It was not only the only possible move I had at my disposal, it was the right one. I had to do everything I could to save those kids, and I would have been very upset if you had stopped me."

He sighed, but Ken was right.

He just wished he weren't.

"I just…I can't lose you. You mean too much to me."

Ken smiled at him, his eyes glistening with his own unshed tears. "And _you_ mean the world to me. You're my best friend and my heart and soul, and I don't know how I ever could have made it this far without you."

They sat beside each other on the bench in silence, their fingers entwined, letting the calm of their own private world wash over them.

But one look over, and Daisuke couldn't take his eyes off the back of Ken's neck, couldn't stop wondering, couldn't stop wanting to fix whatever had attacked him there, the Dark Seed that Oikawa and Demon and everybody else seemed to want from his Ken.

"What do you think the Dark Seed is?" He finally built up the courage to ask.

Ken swallowed. "Millenniumon."

"Miller _what_?"

"Do you remember when I told you about the first time I went to the Digital World, back when we were eight?"

He nodded.

"Ryo-san and I were trapped there, stuck fighting a Digimon named Millenniumon, and when we defeated it, it sent out all these Dark Seeds to attack Ryo-san. I pushed him out of the way." Ken frowned. "I didn't know what it was at the time…I guess I do now."

Daisuke glared at his free hand, trying to find the words to express all the feelings bubbling just under his skin.

Ken scoffed. "Now if only I could remember all that while awake. Or figure out why Oikawa needs all those copies in the kids. Or why Demon wants it." A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "All I know is how it changed me, how even after death, Millenniumon is desperate to cause me pain."

Daisuke's eyes darted to look at the back of Ken's neck again, both hating it and desperate to fix it.

And deathly curious.

Ken sent him a sidelong glance, intense blue-violet orbs meeting his under a curtain of silky dark hair. "You can touch it," he murmured, lips barely moving. "If you want."

Daisuke frowned and shook his head. "Last time, it hurt you. I don't want to hurt you."

"It doesn't hurt as much anymore. That was…a long time ago, Daisuke." He bowed his head. "I don't think it'll hurt if you're gentle."

Consideration wound through his body, but he still hesitated. "What about…even after Oikawa…?"

Ken's beautiful eyes fluttered shut, and he whispered, "Perhaps it would be nice to associate this Seed with some good memories too. I trust you."

Happiness bloomed inside his chest. The moment he mumbled, "Okay," Ken scooted closer, and when Daisuke turned and threw one leg over the other side of the bench, Ken shimmied between his legs till he was practically in Daisuke's lap, his breath rustling the hair that fell just above the spot where the Dark Seed had once embedded itself in the nape of his neck.

A shiver ran down Ken's spine, but he didn't pull away.

Slowly, Daisuke laid his fingers on the spot—and pulled back immediately when Ken gasped at the contact.

"No, no, no," Ken mumbled, pressing back into his hand. "It's fine. You're not hurting me, I promise."

Daisuke let his hand lay over his nape, feeling the chill of Ken's skin, and slowly relaxed as Ken breathed deep, in and out, in and out, in and out. His other arm hooked around Ken's waist, holding him close even as Ken hunched down to give him better access to his neck.

"This is…okay?" Daisuke whispered.

Ken nodded slowly, seemingly dazed. "Better than okay." He released a happy sigh—this time, the shiver ran down _Daisuke's_ spine—and leaned farther into the touch. "Your heat, it feels good."

Goosebumps lined the skin of his arms and legs, and Daisuke felt uncomfortably thrilled by the way Ken melted under his touch. He ran his thumb over the base of Ken's neck, caressed the vertebrae, far more pronounced than they should be, and positively glowed when Ken tilted his head and released a whimper in response.

Daisuke slid his fingers aside, holding them gently around the spot, and leaned forward to press his mouth to the base of Ken's neck.

Ken trembled in his arms, a needy whine on his lips, and when Daisuke kissed it again, he slumped bonelessly in his embrace, giving in to the affection and care.

Relaxing, Daisuke eased them off the bench and onto the soft grass below, stretching out on their sides with Ken held tight against his chest, and he devoted himself to tracing his fingers over the nape of Ken's neck, memorizing the curves and indentations with his lips.

How long they lay like that, embracing until the dream finally began to fade, Daisuke had no idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the first scene, Ken's hair smells like hydrangeas. In Japanese flower language, hydrangeas can symbolize multiple things, including heartlessness. This scene is set during episode 23, when Ken is searching for his "heart."


End file.
